The bill – to mandate locally-made steel in government infrastructure projects – was in the NSW upper house on Thursday.

But government MPs used up the time allocated for debate with long speeches which ruled out any chance of a vote.

With parliament now in winter recess any vote cannot happen until the upper house’s next sitting date of August 9.

It is expected to pass through the upper house, given the bill has the support of the Greens, the ALP, Shooters and Fishers, and Christian Democrats.

Mr Shoebridge suggested the Liberals’ filibustering tactic was aimed at stopping the vote occurring before the federal election.

“The antics show that the NSW Coalition is more interested in protecting the electoral interests of their federal counterparts than the jobs of 4500 people in the Illawarra,” Mr Shoebridge said. 

 “The Baird government’s arguments against a government steel procurement policy were ill-informed, contradictory and plain ridiculous.

“In an insult to steelworkers one Liberal MP even said that he supported the dumping of steel into the Australian market.”

Mr Shoebridge blasted the Liberals’ approach to the debate.

“The Coalition are politically isolated in their opposition to using local steel in local infrastructure and are resorting to classroom tactics to stop the Greens bill from coming to a vote,” he said.

“The Baird government’s delaying tactics reek of a government running scared.

“At some point Gareth Ward and Mike Baird will have to explain to their constituents in the Illawarra why they oppose this sensible policy that will save jobs and secure the future of the steel industry.”

Mr Shoebridge claimed a structured approach calling on government to use Australian steel would offer more benefit to the industry than other measures.

"One-off bailouts and government loans for Bluescope and Arrium will fail to deliver any security for the future of these plants and the thousands of workers they employ,” he said.